Worcester Garden Tour

This past weekend, some of our Terrascapes team went on the Worcester Open Day garden tour, starting in Grafton at the Brigham Hill Farm and ending the day in Stow at the Glenluce Garden. It was a warm, but cloudy day – perfect for taking our time to wander.

The first stop at Brigham Hill Farm was impressive, to say the least. The immense size of this pristine country home garden was surprising to us all, as it continued to reveal itself the further we roamed. We admired the beautiful and very purposeful pruning of a few large rose bushes climbing the front stone wall. On the other side was a fragrant herb garden lined with a channel of bubbling water. We discovered many of these water “channels” scattered throughout the property, which I am sure are enjoyed by the surrounding wildlife.

There was such an array of beautiful and interesting plants here, yet always arranged in such a way that looked easy and natural. One of my favorite parts was the path lined with carefully-sheared thyme that led to a dedicated vegetable garden. I had never seen vegetable beds crafted from heavy duty stone before and these were sanded and polished! There was even a chicken coop with a green succulent-covered roof!
We walked through the Woodland Garden, which took us away from the manicured feel of the grounds and into a magical forest filled with ferns, running streams, gigantic shady evergreens, and a meandering path lined with soft pine needles. It was its own quiet, tranquil world.

Before we got too caught up in spending the entire day here (which we definitely could have!), we hurried off to our next destination in Stow, with a pit stop at a funky little hot dog joint on the way. After lunch, we drove to the Glenluce Garden which couldn’t have been more different from the Farm. It was fun to experience the contrast of two such uniquely beautiful gardens.

There was an extensive collection roses and peonies of all different types and colors in this garden. These flowers are favorites of mine, so I thought it was a real treat! Glenluce garden was much more wild in comparison to the farm. It was difficult to tell where one plant ended and the next began. The paths weaved in and out of the jam-packed flower beds leading us under and around one surprise after the next. I enjoyed a shady corner where a stone bench had been tucked away. There was another resting place at a small pond just next to the house, as well.

We finally headed home for the day, feeling inspired by all the amazing designs and plants we had seen. From the picturesque country garden of the Brigham Hill Farm to the topsy-turvy Glenluce Garden, I feel our aesthetic at Terrascapes falls closer to the former.